A variety of different gate post hinge assemblies have been developed for hinging relatively heavy gates across entrances in fenced areas. Typically, such gates are used to function as entrance gates for pastures, arenas and the like. Some pastures and arenas are fenced by rail and post fences made of wood or tubular steel and the like. Other pastures and some arenas use T-post fences. Where T-posts are strung with wire, separate heavy-duty wood or tubular steel gate posts typically have been employed for supporting gates on hinges attached to the gate posts.
Efforts have been made to devise relatively simple constructions for the hinge members used on gate posts and gates. One of the problems, which typically exists, is the destructive forces exerted on the gates by the animals generally confined within the area closed by the gate. Animals frequently rub against, lean on, or push upwards on gates in ways which can dislodge the gates from the support pins or dislodge hinge-pins out of the brackets for the hinges typically used for such gates.
The patent to Mueggerl No. 5,020,190 discloses a gate hinge bracket assembly, which is mounted on a tubular pipe of a gate. The gate post, itself, has upwardly turned hinge-pins attached to it. The gate post in Mueggerl is disclosed as a wooden post. The hinge-pins on the post engage upper and lower brackets, which are mounted on the gate itself. The brackets are attached to the gate by means of U-shaped fasteners, which tighten the brackets against the gate, and form a distortion or bending of the pipe used for the gate in the area of attachment to cause the hinge member to be held in place on the tubular gate member in a way which inhibits twisting and an up-and-down movement of the hinge member on the pipe of the gate. The bracket itself, which is used in this patent, includes a pair of spaced-apart plates with a hole through them; and when the hinge-pin is inserted upwardly through the aligned holes in the two plates, the friction force of the edges of the holes on the hinge-pin is intended to prevent upward movement of the gate relative to the pin. Since the upper end of the pin, however, is open, it is possible for an animal to lift the gate off the pin under some conditions.
Another patent, to Griffen U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,149, is directed to a somewhat more complex hinge assembly for use with pipe fencing. The Griffen patent uses a U-bolt to clamp the hinge accessory onto the post. This patent is primarily directed to structure which permits an adjustment of the proximity of the hinge-pin to the post, once the hinge assembly is attached to the post.
An earlier patent, Mehanna U.S. Pat. No. 1,469,425, discloses a gate hinge assembly for attachment to a wooden post. The assembly of Mehanna employs a structure which is similar in arrangement and operation to the structure of the hinge assembly of the Mueggerl patent discussed above.
Another patent, Brunkan U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,149, is directed to a gate hinge assembly for use on cylindrical pipe. The assembly structure of this patent includes several different parts, and is relatively complex.
None of the foregoing patents, however, discloses a gate hinge assembly which can be used on the popular steel T-post fence post, which is in widespread use throughout the United States and other countries of the world. Typically, when a T-post fence is constructed, a separate wooden or steel pipe post is used in the gate opening to form a support post for the gate post hinge.
It is desirable to provide a hinge assembly which can be used directly on a T-post fence post, which is easy to install, which is capable of supporting relatively heavy gates, and which prevents the hinge member, the gate, and the hinge-pin from accidentally being moved or dislodged.